Leonard McCoy
Doctor Leonard H. McCoy was one of the most noted physicians in 23rd Century Starfleet history, having served as ship's surgeon and chief medical officer of both the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS Enterprise]] and the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A)|USS Enterprise-A]] for 27 years. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country) Early Years McCoy was born as the son of David McCoy in the southern United States on Earth in 2227. (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock; TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint") During the mid-2240s, McCoy attended the University of Mississippi. While there he met a Trill, named Emony Dax, who was on Earth judging a gymnastics competition at the university. (DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations") : The ''Star Trek Encyclopedia speculates that Emony and McCoy met around 2245, this based on the fact that McCoy appears to have not yet entered medical school when they knew each other.'' Early Career In 2251, McCoy was the head of a massive inoculation program on Dramia II. While on Dramia II, McCoy saved a Dramian colonist, named Kol-tai, from a strain of the Saurian virus. Shortly after McCoy departed, the colonists fell subject to a massive plague, killing most all of the planet's colonists. (TAS: "Albatross") McCoy would later be stationed on Capella IV for a few months. His visit was brief due to the Capellans lack of interest in medical aid or hospitals; however, the knowledge he gained on Capellan customs would later prove invaluable. (TOS: "Friday's Child") By 2253, McCoy had developed a medical procedure that involved grafting neural tissue to the cerebral cortex, followed by the creation of an axonal pathway between the tissue graft and the basal ganglia of a humanoid brain. This procedure would be incorporated into the programming of future Starfleet EMH's, of which McCoy would become one of the distinguished doctors to be used as a template. (VOY: "Lifesigns") McCoy would later author the classic medical text: Leonard McCoy's Comparative Alien Physiology. (VOY: "Message in a Bottle") McCoy was awarded the Starfleet Legion of Honor and also received awards for valor from Starfleet Surgeons in 2267. An accomplished surgeon, exobiologist, and xenophysician, McCoy was also an expert in psychology, notably space psychology. (TOS: "Court Martial") The five-year mission Beginning in 2266, Dr. McCoy would replace Dr. Mark Piper as chief medical officer of the starship Enterprise, while serving under Captain James T. Kirk during his original five-year mission. It is this five-year mission that is the most distinguished period of McCoy's career, in which he made significant professional scientific advances, discoveries and achievements for Starfleet and the Federation. Kirk referred to him as "Bones", a short for the nickname "Sawbones". His assigned quarters were "3F 127" on Deck 9, section 2. (TOS: "The Man Trap") In early-2267 the Enterprise visited the Amusement Park planet located in the Omicron Delta region. During the initial survey, McCoy reported seeing a giant white rabbit following by a little girl. Further investigation discovered that the thoughts in their minds were responsible for what they were seeing. While walking through the glade with Yeoman Tonia Barrows, they discovered the dress of a princess, conceived from the thoughts of Barrows. McCoy encouraged Barrows to try on the dress, where he would afterwards begin to romance to the yeoman, later stating that she should not be afraid "with a brave knight to protect her". Moments later a Black Knight would appear before the two. Convinced that it was not real and therefore cannot harm him, McCoy stands his ground -- and takes a lance through the chest, dying instantly. McCoy would later return to the surface, from where he'd been taken for medical care, with the two cabaret line chorus girls he once met on Rigel II. This did not bode well with Barrows, however, the two would quickly make amends. (TOS: "Shore Leave") On stardate 3417, McCoy's tonsils, which had been removed some years earlier, re-grew when he was briefly under the influence of the Omicron spores. During that time, McCoy also indulged in the creation of his favorite drink, the mint julep. (TOS: "This Side of Paradise") In 2268, McCoy was diagnosed with a terminal disease known as xenopolycythemia; he was given one year to live. Shortly thereafter, the Enterprise encountered the Fabrini asteroid-ship Yonada where he met their high priestess, Natira. During his stay on the Yonada, the two grew close to each other. Having lived a lonely life, and fearing death alone, and decided to stay with Natira, against Captain Kirk's order. McCoy joins Natira and the Fabrini by having an instrument of obedience subdermally implanted into his body. He would later renege on his decision to stay with the Fabrini, choosing rather to search the galaxy to discover a cure for his disease. It was later discovered that the Fabrini, in fact, had the cure for xenopolycythemia in their databanks, curing McCoy, allowing him to continue his life aboard the Enterprise. (TOS: "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky") .]] In 2269, McCoy was among the landing party that beamed down to inspect the planet Taurus II. He would be affected by the gladular secretion of the Taurean females, known for controlling the male mind. This caused McCoy to be drained of his "life force", causing him to age at a rate of ten years per day. Unable to counteract the effects of rapid aging, McCoy employs a hypospray of cortropine to help aleve their conditions. He and the landing party would eventually be recovered by an all female Enterprise security detachment lead by Uhura. He and the others would be returned to their previous ages by use of their molecular pattern stored in the transporter system. (TAS: "The Lorelei Signal") In 2270, following a delivery of medical supplies to Dramia, McCoy was arrested for the wanton mass murder of the colonists of Dramia II, from some nineteen years earlier. McCoy feared that he might have accidentally been responsible for the plague that killed the Dramians and that he may be found guilty. Meanwhile, the Enterprise visits Dramia II and discovers a survivor, named Kol-tai, who wished to help get McCoy acquitted. On the journey back to Dramia, they passed through an aurora, which was later discovered to be the source of the plague. Spock would break McCoy out of the Dramian prison in order for him to help find the cure for the plague that was now unleashed aboard the Enterprise. McCoy discovers the cure in Saurian virus antibodies and is able to save the crew. McCoy is later honored by the Dramians, in a series of ceremonies, for his significant achievements in the field of interstellar medicine. (TAS: "Albatross") His closest friends aboard the Enterprise included Captain James T. Kirk and, begrudgingly, Spock. McCoy's friendship with Kirk dated back well before Kirk took command of the Enterprise, and he often served as a sounding board and voice of conscience for the young captain. His legendary feuds with the half-Vulcan science officer, borne more from dispute over the benefits of emotion than true prejudice, are merely show over the genuine respect and friendship the two have for each other. Over time, the three appeared to form nearly a single personality, with McCoy ever emotional and passionate, Spock ever the objective and logical, and Kirk the focus, direction and driving force, combining the best of the other two. Upon the conclusion of the historic five-year mission in 2270, McCoy, always modestly proclaiming himself to be "just a country doctor", retired his commission to enter private medical practice. During this time, he continued to be Kirk's physician. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture) Later career in 2270.]] On stardate 7210, two and a half years later, McCoy's commission was reactivated by a "little-known, seldom-used reserve activation clause" at the request of now Admiral James T. Kirk, and continued to serve with his shipmates as chief medical officer on a new five-year mission aboard the newly refitted Enterprise. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture) Years later, on stardate 8130.3, Dr. McCoy served as a Starfleet Academy instructor aboard the Enterprise under Captain Spock, helping to acclimate new Starfleet doctors and nurses to shipboard medicine, and evaluating cadets during intense psychological tests such as the Kobayashi Maru. However, during what was supposed to be a three-week training cruise, the Enterprise became involved in the Genesis incident. Captain Spock, just before dying, deposited his katra within McCoy's mind. Spock's katra was restored via the fal-tor-pan, an ancient, legendary Vulcan technique. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock) Although it was not generally known whether another species could serve as a "keeper of the Vulcan katra", McCoy appeared to suffer no lasting ill effects from the incident. Shortly after stardate 9522, McCoy was arrested with Captain Kirk and charged with the assassination of Klingon Chancellor Gorkon. However, both later escaped from the Klingon penal asteroid Rura Penthe, prevented the assasination of the Federation president, uncovered the Khitomer conspiracy, and helped to build peace talks between the Federation and the Klingon Empire that would last nearly a century. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country) in 2364.]] On stardate 41153.7, the 137 year old Admiral Leonard McCoy inspected the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|USS Enterprise-D]] during it's first mission. (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint") Family & Relationships An early ancestor of McCoy's, his great-great-grandfather, was a noted gardener, having had one of the finest gardens in the South. He also was noted for his own excellent weedkiller. (TAS: "The Infinite Vulcan") McCoy would suffer many family hardships early on in life, which would eventually mold him into prominent individual he would become. It would begin when McCoy is forced to face the harsh reality of his father's bout with a painfully incurable disease. His father pleaded with McCoy to release him from the pain, but McCoy could not, as he was adamant that a cure would be found. Unfortunately, a cure could not be found in time, and McCoy was forced to remove his father from life support and allow him to die. Soon after, a cure was discovered, and McCoy subsequently lived many years to follow in regret, for causing his fathers apparently needless death. (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier) McCoy would eventually become married, and have a daughter, named Joanna. Sadly, McCoy's marriage ends in a bitter divorce, and was separated from his daughter, deepening his hardships. His daughter would eventually move to the planet Cerberus to attend school, where she would nearly die, in 2260, when the planet experienced a crop failure. Fortunately Cerberus was saved by kind actions of Carter Winston. McCoy would be quite grateful of this deed and expresses the most sincere thanks to Winston, ten years later, when he is rescued by the Enterprise. (TAS: "The Survivor") :The ''Star Trek Concordance establishes that Joanna born around 2249, and was in training to become a nurse. It also establishes that although they write each other often, Dr. McCoy's duties aboard the USS Enterprise keep the two apart. The Star Trek Chronology provides additional background information on his divorce and his daughter. This scenario establishes that as a result of the divorce McCoy leaves the private practice (which he apparently rejoins in 2270) to join Starfleet. "The Way to Eden" was originally written for and titled "Joanna", but was however rewritten and Joanna became Irina Galliulin.'' In 2254, McCoy would become romantically involved with the future Nancy Crater. Nancy would nickname her beloved boyfriend "Plum". They would walk out of each other's lives in 2256, and would not see each other again until 2266. (TOS: "The Man Trap") Chronology * 2227: Born on Earth. * 2240s: Attends the University of Mississippi; meets Emony Dax. **2249: Daughter, Joanna, is born. * 2250s-60s: Briefly stationed on Capella IV. ** 2251: Heads a massive inoculation program on Dramia II. ** 2253: Develops revolutionary medical procedure involving brain tissue engrafting. ** 2254: Becomes romantically involved with, the future, Nancy Crater. ** 2256: Ends relationship with Nancy. * 2265-2270: Serves as chief medical officer aboard the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS Enterprise]]. ** 2268: Contracts xenopolycythemia; briefly wed to Fabrini high priestess Natira. * 2270: Retires from Starfleet at conclusion of Kirk's five year mission. * 2272: Re-drafted back into Starfleet during V'Ger incursion. * 2285: Instructor aboard USS Enterprise. * 2286: Reassigned as chief medical officer of the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A)|USS Enterprise-A]]. * 2293: After imprisioned on Rura Penthe and subsequent escape helps to uncover the Khitomer conspiracy. * 2364: Tours newly commissioned [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|USS Enterprise-D]].